Darby and a Wildfox

Comfort is a priority when partaking in some Saturday afternoon shopping and so ordinarily I wouldn't even consider wearing heels, but these Ralph Lauren 'Darby' boots have changed my opinion somewhat. 

These were originally brought out in their Autumn/Winter 2011 collection, but I recently purchased them at 70% off in a summer sale, such a great buy! Since it's summer I haven't found too many opportunities to wear them as of yet, but these boots will really come into their own this coming Autumn/Winter and I can't wait to wear them when I'm all wrapped up. They are perfect with leggings, as shown in the pictures, but also paired with skinny jeans/cords or tights and skirts. 

I am continuously drawn to the dizzying heights of stilettos and am usually repelled by anything with a kitten heel and so my shoes collection is quite polarised - it's either ballet flats or sky-scraping stilettos with few compromises in between. However, here we have a three inch heel... Why haven't I thought of this before?? The comfort level is bolstered by the fact that your foot is secured in a boot and you're laced into them for a further support. The thick rubber 'lug-sole' also helps with comfort as it creates further stability and traction.

I would describe them as rugged, yet stylish.

I found this jumper at 60% off of the original price and as the wild in Wildfox definitely stands for wildly overpriced, this was a much more palatable proposition. It’s hard to justify spending the full price on these jumpers especially as they fall into the ‘ lounge-wear’ category… but they’re just so fun they're hard to resist! I continually find myself drawn to the funky graphics of this brand.  

To keep the outfit from becoming jarring I opted to keep accessories to a minimum. Silver is more often than not my preference when it comes to jewellery, but this Lisa Taubes gold necklace offsets the gold in the graphic lipstick in an understated manner ~ something that the jumper most certainly is not!  

While the intended style is oversized, in order to keep it stylish as opposed to slouchy, I would say that it's necessary to pair these jumpers with something fitted, be it leggings, skinny jeans or shorts. 

The material is ultra soft and cosy and I find this is a super laid-back and cute outfit. It’s perfect for a day shopping or going for a casual bite to eat. 

What I enjoy most about this outfit is, of course, the physical comfort, but I also like mixing this statement top with black leggings and lace up boots as they add edginess to the outfit. 

Also, let’s be honest here, it’s perfect teamed with a comfy pair of tracksuit or pyjama bottoms for lounging around the house or curling up in front of television with a mug of hot chocolate. Add versatile to its list of attributes ;)

L

Feeling Electric Blue ~ Topshop AWOL

This electric blue has such a bright and positive affect on my mood - powerful what a little bottle of nail polish can do! While more delicate tones of blue are known for promoting a calming effect, I would describe this dynamic blue as energetic and fun.

I rate this nail polish quite highly in terms of quality as I am very impressed with both its application and consistency. During application there is no evidence of streaking and the colour is as vibrant on the nails as it appears in the bottle.

The consistency of the polish is similar to that of an OPI or Butter London polish, therefore, not as thin as Essie. For further comparison, the brush is comparable to Butter London and Essie brushes and so, roughly half the size of OPI. In my opinion that's much of a muchness really, but for those with smaller nail beds, this brush size might be preferable.

The nail polish did start to chip after two days but, in my experience, this is true for most brands. I am usually quite lax when it comes to top coats so perhaps that is something to which I should pay more attention! In terms of longevity, I imagine that this polish would definitely benefit from the use of a top coat.

While the picture below depicts a clearly unprofessional manicure, it does show that this polish has a gorgeous, smooth and creamy finish with complete opacity after two coats. In the image below I used neither a base nor top coat, but with the sun hitting my nails the polish's naturally glossy finish is evident. It takes very minimal effort to achieve a great look with this polish and for that alone, it deserves a recommendation.

For me, bright colours such as this look best on short nails with a squared tip. I love wearing this nail polish with a simple outfit to allow the colour to really stand out (not that it needs much assistance!). Something like a white tank-top and blue jeans or white jeans and lots of silver jewellery do the job perfectly. The juxtaposition of the vibrant blue and a crisp white is beautiful and really memorable.

Basically, I love this colour... Oh and it looks very flattering with a tan!

L